LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner Says These Are The 3 Qualities Of A Great Employee

Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn.Sylvain Kalache/flickrHiring an employee who is great at his or her job is a definite win. Hiring one who also helps you enjoy coming into work every day is an absolute home run. What's the first step to identifying these precious unicorns of the start-up hiring world? According to Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn, the first step to bagging yourself this sort of dream employee is identifying exactly what traits you're looking for.

So what's the equivalent of a flash of white in the forest that might be a tell you've spotted one of these unicorn-type candidates? On social media recently Weiner shared a simple Venn diagram of three interlocking qualities he personally looks for when trying to spot potential employees who will be a complete pleasure to work with:

The three qualities of people I most enjoy working with https://t.co/GF557ppXJH—Jeff Weiner (@jeffweiner) August 24, 2014

The ability to dream big ...

"My favorite exchanges are with people who are naturally predisposed to think at truly massive scale and without limitations. When well reasoned, that kind of vision can be highly inspirational, change the way teams solve for a specific opportunity or challenge, and ultimately, transform the trajectory of a company," he offers as his first most desired trait.

... but also execute

However, it's not enough simply to be able to talk a good game when it comes to truly massive ideas. The best employees can also break that huge vision down into its constituent parts, overcome objections and execute on the idea. Weiner colloquially calls this the ability to "get sh*t done."

"If a goal is truly visionary, it's going to be confronted by doubters, skeptics, and those threatened by its realization. As a result, there will always be walls put up on the way to achieving the objective. Some of the most capable people I've worked with know how to go over, around, or straight through those walls by virtue of their resourcefulness and sheer force of will. In other words, they just 'get sh*t done,'" Weiner writes.

And have fun doing it

Both of the above traits could theoretically be found in a jerk who managed amazing things while making the office miserable. To have the complete trifecta for Weiner, you need to not only accomplish audacious goals, you also have to promote general happiness while you do it. "I've reached a point in my career where I want to be surrounded by people who not only share a vision, but a genuine commitment to upholding their company's culture and values. They are team players, don't take themselves too seriously, and know how to have fun," he concludes.

Got all three? Then congratulations, you are officially great to work with. Found an employee with this trio of traits? Congratulations again! You're in for some good times ahead as colleagues.